Container



E. H. SILER .C NTAINER Filed Dec. 6, 1953 O O HHIHIIIII ,..,.n n" "a", ".1

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Patented June 18, 1935 UNi'iE S'iATES PATENT DEEME- The Lawrence Paper Company, Kans, a corporation of Kansas Lawrence,

Application December 6, 1933, Serial No. 701,114 7 Claims. (01. 229-6).

This invention relates to containers and par ticularly to those of that character for shipping baby chicks, similar live stock, and perishables requiring air and ventilation, and has for its 5 principal object to provide an improved spacing means for facilitating circulation of air therethrough when the containers are stacked in tiers, or when other objects are accidently placed on the tops thereof.

In accomplishing this and other objects of the invention I have provided improved details of structure, the preferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a chick container embodying the features of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section through a tier of the containers, particularlyillustrating the lid construction for spacing therespective containers to form air passageways therebetween.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective View of one corner of the container showing the construction of one of the spacers.

Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section through a tier of the containers.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a side of one of the container blanks illustrating the shape of one of the spacers before folding.

Referring more in detail to the drawing:

l designates a container specially constructed for shipping baby chicks including a body portion 2 having an open top 3 closed by a cover mem-- her 4. l

The body and cover of the container are preferably constructed of a single corrugated fibre 35. board cut to the desired shape and folded to form an integral structure, whereby the cover 4 ishinged to one side of the body portion, as at 5.

The body portion may be of any suitable shape, but is shown in the drawing as of rectangular cross section and including a bottom 6, sides I and 8, and ends 9 and i U, the sides being secured to flanges H on the ends 9 and ill by fastening devices, such as staples 2.

The interior of the carton may be divided, if desired, by suitable crossed partitions l3 and M, respectively extending transversely and longitudinally of the container to form chick compartments, as in conventional practice.

The partition is is provided with laterally turned flanges 55 which are secured to the sides I and 8 by fastening devices it, while the longitudinal partition Hi is provided at its ends with tongues l'l extending through suitable openings H8 in the ends 9 and it, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

The cover 4,1as above stated, is integrally connected with the end Ill and is of sufiicient length to extend across the open top of the body portion to the end 9, where it is provided with a depending locking flap. l9 adapted to engage between 5 the inner face of the end wall 3 and the end of the partition "I4.

The cover is of sufficient width to overlie and project beyond the side walls I and 23 as at 20 and 2! so as to have firm bearing on the upper edges 22 and 23 thereof.

In order to provide circulation through the compartments'of the: container, the partitions l3 and [4, the side walls I and 8, and the cover 4 are provided with a plurality of openings. 24 for the passage of air to and frornthe compartments. 1

In shipping the filled containers, they-may be stacked in tiers, one on top of theother, or it often happens that some object is placed over the top of the container and unless some means is provided for spacing the superimposed containers or objects, they will close off the ventilating openings through the cover and the chicks will not have sufficient air to prevent them from smothering.

It is, therefore, the principal object of the present invention, as above pointed out, to provide an improved spacing means whereby an upper container is spaced above the cover of a lower con- 0 tainer so that air has free passage to and from the chick compartments through the openings 24.

The spacers or rails are best illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 and are shown as being formed as a part of the side edges of the cover so that they are an integral part of the container and are not likely to become loose or accidently removed when the container is in shipment.

The portion of the blank forming the spacer is best illustrated in Fig. 5, which shows the projecting side edges 20 and 2 I as provided with laterally extending wings 25 and 26 separated from the edges of the cover portion of the blank by score lines 21 and 28.

Each wing 25 and 26 includes an attaching strip portion 29 having substantially the same length as the cover and which is connected thereto by web portions 30 and 3|, which, when the wings are in folded position, form the spacers or rails 32, 33, 34 and 35, Fig. 1.

The portions 30 and 3| of the blank are preferably inset from the ends of the cover to expose the ends of the attaching strip 29 in order that staples 36 may be inserted therethrough and through the cover to retain the wings in position to form the spacers, as later described.

The portions 39 and 3| are also spaced apart at the center of the box, as at 31, to form a lateral air passageway and to provide space for passing a string or other binding element around the container to secure the cover in closed position.

Extending longitudinally at the juncture of the attaching strip with the portions and 3| are score lines 38 and 39 and spaced therefrom in the direction of the score lines 2'0 and 28 are intermediate score lines 40 and il on which the wings are folded to form the spacers, as now to be described.

In folding the wing portions, they are bent upwardly and retractively from the plane of the cover portion 4 on the score lines 21 and 23. The

attaching strips 29 are then bent downwardly on the score lines 38 and 39 at a substantially-acute angle with the Web portions between the score lines 38 and 27, after which the wings are bent on the score lines 49 and 3| at a substantially obtuse angle to bring the attaching strip 29 into contact with the upper face of the cover.

The attaching strips are then moved into parallel relation with the side edges of the cover and in predetermined spaced relation therewith, so that the ridges formed by the score lines 46 are spaced from the plane of the cover to form the spacers 32, 33, 34 and 35. I

The ends of the strips 29 and the intermediate portions thereof spaced between openings 3? are secured to the cover by fastening devices such as staples 36. The'staples thus anchor the strips in position on the box so as to retain the desired height of the spacers. The spacers, being of triangular shape, also provide a very rigid truss like,

forms an integral part of the coverand has ample strength to support the required loads, so that a space is always maintained over the openings in the cover to allow ventilation through the chick compartments.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A container of the character described in-' cluding an'apertured portion having lateral extensions on the side edges thereof and folded to form rail portions for spacing an object that may be placed on the container in spaced relation with said apertures, an attaching strip integral with said rail portions and having ends extends ing beyond the rail portions, and means for securing said ends of the attaching strip to the apertured portion.

2. A container of the character described including an apertured cover having lateral extensions on the side edges thereof and projecting beyond corresponding sides of the container including an attaching strip portion and spaced web portions integrally connecting the attaching strip portions to side edges of the cover and having parallel score lines on which the web portions are folded to form triangular shaped rail portions, and means for securing the attaching strips to the cover at the ends of the rail portions.

3. A container of the character described including an apertured cover having integral lateral extensions on the side edges thereof including attaching strip portions and spaced web portions connecting the attaching strip portions to side edges of the cover and having parallel score lines on which the web portions are folded to form triangular shaped rail portions and on which the attaching strips are folded in underlying relation with the rail portions, said attaching strip portions being longer than the web portions so that the ends of the attaching strips project from under the rail portions and means for securing the projecting ends of the attaching strips to the cover.

4. A container of the character described including a rectangular body having apertured sides, an apertured cover having lateral extensions on side edges thereof and folded to form triangular shaped rail portions projecting coextensively from the sides of the container and above' the cover for retaining objects that may be placed on the cover and against said sides of the container in spaced relation therewith, an attaching strip integral with and underlying said rail portions, and means for securing the attaching strips to the cover for retaining said extensions in rail forming position.

5. A container of the character described including a rectangular body having apertured sides, an apertured cover having one edge hinged to said body and having lateral extensions on the adjacent side edges folded to form triangular shaped rail portions projecting coextensively from said sides of the container and above the cover for retaining objects that may be placed on the cover and against said sides in spaced relation therewith, an attaching strip integral with and underlying said rail portions, and means securing the attaching strips to the cover for retaining said extensions in rail forming position.

' EDWARD H. SILER. 

